Danbury's Tysheen McCrea and Norwalk's James McInerney face off as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Tysheen McCrea and Norwalk's James McInerney face off as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 2 of 28

Norwalk's Jared Smith reacts to the team's first touch down as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Norwalk's Jared Smith reacts to the team's first touch down as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 3 of 28

Norwalk's Tomar Joseph runs the ball as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Norwalk's Tomar Joseph runs the ball as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 4 of 28

Norwalk's Tomar Joseph pushes through the Danbury defense as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Norwalk's Tomar Joseph pushes through the Danbury defense as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 5 of 28

Image 6 of 28

Danbury quarterback Anferny Ith runs the ball as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury quarterback Anferny Ith runs the ball as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 7 of 28

Norwalk's Hopeton Chambers closes in on Danbury's Corey Acosta as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Norwalk's Hopeton Chambers closes in on Danbury's Corey Acosta as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 8 of 28

Danbury's Corey Chaffee runs the ball as he fends off Norwalk's Jared Smith as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Corey Chaffee runs the ball as he fends off Norwalk's Jared Smith as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 9 of 28

Danbury's Anferny Ith is sacked as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Anferny Ith is sacked as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 10 of 28

Image 11 of 28

Bears quarterback Jared Smith in action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Bears quarterback Jared Smith in action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 12 of 28

Norwalk Coach Sean Ireland on the sidelines as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Norwalk Coach Sean Ireland on the sidelines as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 13 of 28

Danbury Coach Dan Donovan on the sidelines as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury Coach Dan Donovan on the sidelines as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 14 of 28

Danbury's Kolyn Danzy moves the ball as Norwalk's Jonathan Torres-Wills closes in as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Kolyn Danzy moves the ball as Norwalk's Jonathan Torres-Wills closes in as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 15 of 28

Image 16 of 28

Danbury's Christopher Latham in action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Christopher Latham in action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 17 of 28

Norwalk quarterback Jared Smith fells the pressure from Danbury's defense as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Norwalk quarterback Jared Smith fells the pressure from Danbury's defense as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 18 of 28

Danbury's Corey Chaffee in action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Corey Chaffee in action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 19 of 28

DAnbury quarterback Anferny Ith pushes for yards with some help from teammate Jacob Reich, left, as Norwalk's Andre Cork closes inNorwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

DAnbury quarterback Anferny Ith pushes for yards with some help from teammate Jacob Reich, left, as Norwalk's Andre Cork closes inNorwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 20 of 28

Image 21 of 28

Norwalk's Tomar Joseph battles Danbury's line of defense as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Norwalk's Tomar Joseph battles Danbury's line of defense as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 22 of 28

Danbury's Tysheen McCrea moves the ball as Norwalk's James McInerney closes in as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Tysheen McCrea moves the ball as Norwalk's James McInerney closes in as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 23 of 28

Danbury's Tysheen McCrea moves the ball as Norwalk's James McInerney tackles as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Danbury's Tysheen McCrea moves the ball as Norwalk's James McInerney tackles as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 24 of 28

The Bears leave the field at halftime Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

The Bears leave the field at halftime Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 25 of 28

Image 26 of 28

Game action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Game action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 27 of 28

Game action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Game action as Norwalk High School hosts Danbury in a football game Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

Photo: Keelin Daly

Image 28 of 28

Norwalk grinds out win over Danbury

1 / 28

Back to Gallery

NORWALK -- Norwalk called on running back Tomar Joseph for three-and-a-half quarters versus Danbury. But when the Bears needed to seal their opening-game victory over the visiting Hatters, Joseph took a fake handoff and watched as quarterback Jared Smith rolled back to the right and scampered into the end zone to push Norwalk to a late 16-point lead that would hold up in a 16-6 victory.

"We did it in practice (Thursday)," said Smith. "We would always go through goal line plays, and coach (Sean Ireland) just told me, `If you see someone in your way, drop your shoulder, be a football player and get a touchdown.'"

Unlike Joseph, who served as a battering ram all night and compiled 119 yards on 28 carries, Smith didn't have to run anyone over on the way to his touchdown. Joseph was right there to congratulate his quarterback after the score.

"Joseph, he's our guy," Ireland said."The reason Jared scored is because of him. The good thing about Tomar, as soon as Jared scored he went right over and gave him a big hug. He wasn't like, `Oh, man, that should have been me.'"

Joseph was also the main man last year, when Norwalk surprised many by winning the FCIAC Central for the first time since 2008, won the school's first state playoff game, and reached the Class LL semifinals before losing to eventual champion Xavier.

Danbury coach Dan Donovan tipped his hat to Joseph, who was a tall order for Danbury's defense.

"I thought our defense played well," Donovan said. "To stop that back as many times as we did, I think our defense can go home and say they played well."

On their opening drive of the game, Joseph carried seven times for 29 yards and Smith went 3-3 for 32 yards through the air. Running back Lance Lauture plunged in from one yard out and Smith followed with a two-point conversion run. Norwalk seemed primed for a good offensive evening, but the offense sputtered thereafter.

"The difference between the drives in the first quarter and the rest of the game, was completing those short passes to convert," Ireland said. "As the game was going on, we weren't hitting them and they started putting everybody in the box. We didn't have success throwing the ball tonight."

Neither did Danbury. Quarterback Anferny Ith was intercepted several times and spent a good deal of the night running backwards to avoid Norwalk's pressure. Following the opening-drive touchdown, Norwalk's only offense till late was a safety on Danbury's second drive.

"The quarterback is a sophomore," Donovan said. "And game speed is different than practice speed, and I think we got a taste of that tonight. Norwalk is a good football team, a great running back. But we shot ourselves in the foot. Too many penalties, too many busted plays, too many missed assignments. For every two plays we had going forward, we had two going back."

Danbury scored with less than 10 seconds left on a short pass to tight end Tristan Jakobson.